Understanding Long-Term Mobility in Nairobi’s Slums
Principal Investigator This project will kickstart tracking and re-surveying a large sample of Nairobi slum residents surveyed more than a decade ago in 2012. Back then, I jointly led a research team that conducted a complete mapping exercise of Nairobi’s largest informal settlement, Kibera. We collected coarse data on housing conditions... More
Hyperresolution large-eddy simulations for assessing the local impacts of heat mitigation strategies
Principal Investigator: Co-Principal Investigator: Cities are emerging as the nexus of the energy, water, health, and climate challenges in the 21st century. More than 50% of the world’s population lives in cities, and the urban population continues growing. Urban areas are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Urbanization also modifies the Earth’s... More
Michael Small Awarded 2023 IOC Student Prize
The Initiative on Cities (IOC) is proud to announce that Michael Small has been awarded the IOC Student Prize for the 2023 school year. The $1,000 prize is presented annually to one BU senior graduating with a minor in Urban Studies. Michael is an Environmental Analysis and Policy major in the College... More
2022 Menino Survey: Economic Opportunity, Poverty & Well-Being
America’s Mayors See Soaring Housing Costs as Top Economic Challenge But Feel They Have Little Control, According to Survey of US Mayors Mayors Feel More Accountable for Public Health Issues since 2018, Especially Gun Violence and Mental Health Findings Among Those from the Boston University Initiative on Cities’ Menino Survey of Mayors Over... More
The Latest City News: March 31, 2023
The Latest City News is a compilation of recent city news by the Initiative on Cities--click on the images to read each article! Reach out to ioc@bu.edu for any inquiries or the latest news for us to highlight.
Faculty Friday: Rébecca Bourgault
Faculty Friday is a series highlighting members of the Initiative on Cities (IOC) Faculty Advisory Board, by exploring their work on campus and in the city. This week, we are highlighting Rébecca Bourgault, Chair of Art Education and Assistant Professor of Art, Art Education at the College of Fine Arts. By... More
Film Screening of Shadowlands with Producer Nida Kirmani
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 18, 2023, 5:00-6:15 pm ET Location: 121 Bay State Road, Boston. MA 02215 RSVP Join the Boston University Center for the Study of Asia and the Initiative on Cities for a featured film screening of Shadowlands, followed by a discussion with producer Nida Kirmani. This documentary follows two... More
Faculty Friday: Benjamin Sovacool
Faculty Friday is a series highlighting members of the Initiative on Cities (IOC) Faculty Advisory Board, by exploring their work on campus and in the city. This week, we are highlighting Benjamin Sovacool, Director of the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS) and Professor in the Department of Earth... More
#BUandBoston: Chinatown Main Street x BU Student Government
This post is part of our #BUandBoston series, highlighting the work and research of BU students, faculty, and staff throughout the City of Boston and the Greater Boston region. Interested in having your Boston-related work featured? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter (@BUonCities) using the #BUandBoston or send us an email at ioc@bu.edu. By Dhruv Kapadia Over the... More
Alumni Spotlight: Fatima Blanca Munoz
Alumni Spotlight is a series highlighting former affiliates of the Initiative on Cities (IOC). We catch up with our alumni to feature their current work, updates, and accomplishments. Today, we highlight Fatima Blanca Munoz, a former Program Administrator & Manager with the Initiative on Cities. Fatima is the Operations Manager of Initiatives... More
Alumni Spotlight: Juliahna Green
Alumni Spotlight is a series highlighting former affiliates of the Initiative on Cities (IOC). We catch up with our alumni to feature their current work, updates, and accomplishments. Today, we highlight Juliahna Green, a former IOC Fellow in the City of Manchester (United Kingdom) with the Initiative on Cities. Juliahna is a... More
#BUandBoston: Boston University Prison Outreach Initiative
This post is part of our #BUandBoston series, highlighting the work and research of BU students, faculty, and staff throughout the City of Boston and the Greater Boston region. Interested in having your Boston-related work featured? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter (@BUonCities) using the #BUandBoston or send us an email at ioc@bu.edu. By Dhruv Kapadia BU Prison... More
Homelessness is a Housing Problem: Book Talk & Panel Discussion
Date & Time: Monday, April 3, 2023, 1:00-2:30 pm ET Location: Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road Lunch will be provided Register Join the BU Initiative on Cities and the School of Social Work for a discussion on homelessness in America. Why do some cities have higher rates of homelessness than others? What... More
Cities, Lobbyists, & the Power to Influence Politics
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 29, 2023, 12:00-1:30pm Location: Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road Lunch will be provided Register Join the BU Initiative on Cities and the American Politics Seminar Series for a discussion that explores why mayors rely on professional lobbyists to amplify their voices and represent their city’s interests in... More
Alumni Spotlight: Sophia Wedeen
Alumni Spotlight is a series highlighting former affiliates of the Initiative on Cities (IOC). We catch up with our alumni to feature their current work, updates, and accomplishments. Today, we highlight Sophia Wedeen, a former Staff Assistant with the Initiative on Cities. Sophia is a research analyst at the Joint Center for... More
Alumni Spotlight: Patricia Cahill
Alumni Spotlight is a series highlighting former affiliates of the Initiative on Cities (IOC). We catch up with our alumni to feature their current work, updates, and accomplishments. Today, we highlight Patricia Cahill, a former Program Manager with the Initiative on Cities. Patricia is a Transportation Planner in the Office of... More
Introducing Our 2023 External Advisory Board
The Initiative on Cities is proud to announce our 2023 External Advisory Board. Our board of urban scholars, policymakers, and experts was established to give counsel to the Initiative on Cities and ensure that the latest policies, practices, and research findings lead our work and priorities. Julian Agyeman, Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and... More
Alumni Spotlight: Luisa Godinez-Puig
Alumni Spotlight is a series highlighting former affiliates of the Initiative on Cities (IOC). We catch up with our alumni to feature their current work, updates, and accomplishments. Today, we highlight Dr. Luisa Godinez-Puig, a former Doctoral Fellow with the Initiative on Cities. Luisa Godinez-Puig is an Equity Scholar at the... More
Policy Brief: Cities, Zoning, and the Fragmented Response to Homelessness
Authors: Dr. Katherine Levine Einstein (Boston University Initiative on Cities; Department of Political Science) and Dr. Charley Willison (Cornell University Public Health) In this brief, the Boston University Initiative on Cities, Cornell University, and Community Solutions examine how local governments can better address and end homelessness through improved coordination of homelessness... More
2022 Menino Survey: Mayors and the Climate Crisis
America’s Mayors See Regulatory Powers As Their Top Climate Action Tools, But Are Reluctant to Limit Resident Choices, According to Survey of US Mayors Nine-in-Ten Mayors Agree that Climate Change is Human-Induced Mayors from Both Parties Strongly Support Purchasing New Technologies Like Electric Vehicles Findings Among Those from the Boston University Initiative on... More